(1723 - 1809) of Wolterton, Norf., 1st s. of Horatio Walpole (who was cr. B. Walpole of Wolterton 1756); Corpus Camb. 1741; L.Inn 1736; MP 1747 - 57; m. 1748 Ldy. Rachel Cavendish, dau. of 3rd D. of Devonshire; suc. fa. 1757 as 2nd B.; suc. cos. 1797 as 5th B. Walpole of Walpole; cr. E. of Orford 1806.
1744 - 6 Milan (Oct. 1744), Turin (by Apr. 1745), Florence (by 29 Jun. 1745 - Apr. 1746), Rome (Apr. - ), Naples [London by Jun. 1747]
Horatio 'Pig Wiggin' Walpole (Horace Walpole's first cousin) set out from Geneva in October 1744 for Milan with his tutor Dr George Turnbull and with Richard Aldworth and Sir Thomas Sebright (see Aldworth). Walpole and Turnbull had spent 'some considerable time at the Academy' in Turin by April 1745,1 when Walpole's father proposed to the Duke of Newcastle that Turnbull might confer in Rome with the Abb? Rota, secretary of ciphers, to procure Jacobite intelligence.2 Their journey to Florence was then delayed through Turnbull's illness, but they had arrived there by 29 June 1745, and stayed several months. Walpole was enjoying the conversazioni at Horace Mann's in August though he did not 'produce himself much'; in December Turnbull was ill and Dr Cocchi thought there was 'a remote danger of a consumption'.3
In January 1746 Mann reported that Walpole had been very ill and had 'roared so much that we were all frightened', while Turnbull was also 'in a bad way, and I don't believe will recover', but they set out for Rome in April, Walpole fitter, but Turnbull 'in a very weak way and often out of order'. It may be assumed Turnbull was in no state to conduct clandestine business with the Abb? Rota. Walpole bought an 'antique gem of erudition' in Rome from Antonio Borioni, which was described by Ridolfino Venuti.3 Walpole's portrait by Subleyras (Temple Newsam) was said to have been painted in Naples, where the artist was staying between approximately November 1746 and June 1747.4 Walpole was back in London by June 1747. In 1749 James Russel asked that two copies of his Letters should be sent to young Mr Walpole, 'upon account of great favours, and kindness I received from him when at Florence'.5
1. Quoted in Moore 1985, 140. 2. See Wal.Corr., 19:42n5, 59, 84, 184n12, 185, 192, 232, 418. See also Moore 1985, 140 - 1. 3. See Russel, Letters, 2:73 - 82 (the gem said to have been bought in 1745, evidently in error for 1746). 4. P. Rosenberg, Subleyras, exh. cat., Paris [1987], no.114. 5. Add.41169, f.40v (23 Dec. 1749).